For as long as the boy Kwon Jiyong could remember, none of his family liked him.

In fact, Father loathed him, Mother hated him, and His brother, Seunghyun, sought to make a sport out of him at almost every turn.

He wasn't allowed in the palace grounds without the King's permission, or unless his mother called for him---which she never did. He was sent to battle as young as the age of nine, while Seunghyun stayed within the castle walls, preening and eating luxury like it was born just for him.

They were brothers, but their treatment was one as starkly different as heaven and hell.

For instance, the first memory of when he was first punished for a crime not of his own was when Seunghyun’s dog had knocked over a vase precious to the Queen Mother. Both of them had been just four then, and Jiyong had no dog.

What was it that Father had said when he asked for one when Seunghyun received his as a present?

Tell me, boy. What have you done that I should give you one?

Father had always called him boy instead of his own name. It was boy this, boy that. Even after he had long grown up and been a man, the title never changed.

The point was, Seunghyun had done nothing to receive that puppy too, but he’d still gotten it. Jiyong wanted to scream those words to his Father then, but the deathly glare his Father had sent him shook him to his bones, and he stood still, muscles tense, head bowed.

Hmph.

Father had snorted in disgust---or was it disdain? He didn’t know---and turned away to Seunghyun, who preened and sneered at him from his place at the table.

Now back to the time where he was first punished. The vase had shattered beyond repair, and Seunghyun and him were the only ones present. Apart from the dog, but that was beside the point.

“Jiyong broke the vase!”

Seunghyun’s voice rang loudly and accusingly as he clutched to his pup, sending his brother a smug glance as their Father bore down on him with such rage he flinched. Truthfully, with how the scratch marks on the holder of the vase and its shattered remains from the pup’s teeth, one could tell at first glance that no human had broken the vase. But Jiyong still got punished anyway.

Father ordered his servants to string him to a pole in the palace gardens, his hands tied like a criminal, feet dangling just a few inches above the ground, and to be served no food and water for the rest of the week.

He had to be made an example, Father had said. Though there were no other princes born save for him and Seunghyun then in the palace.

And his crime?

Lying and refusing responsibility.

Seunghyun, for all his pompous attitude, had looked slightly guilty as the servants had strung him up silently, and shot him a nervous look as Father grabbed his hand and left.

Jiyong knew then, as rain beat down on his small body like ice shards, chilling him to the bone, that his life was worth not even a dog and a breakable vase in his Father’s eyes.

And that was just the first punishment.

The second offense had come after three years, when he’d turned eight, and after he had almost recovered from a burning fever in the rain. He knew by then that Seunghyun simply dragged him along in his outings not because he liked his little brother, but that he was the most convenient scapegoat Seunghyun could find---after all, Jiyong would always get the punishment and blame, despite how outrages Seunghyun’s lies were or how blatant the fault was not his.

He had refused to come along with his brother, but Seunghyun had dragged him harshly across the corridors, not caring if his palms scraped against the rough floor and bled as he marched him to the palace kitchen.

Then, Seunghyun had gluttoned himself with the feast just prepared for the king and his advisors---the most important banquet the king was holding to secure an alliance that would ensure a promise for support for Seunghyun when the time needed and came. At that moment, Jiyong knew there was no escape. He simply stared steadily as Seunghyun and him knelt before the king and the advisors, the king raged above their heads---the last cookie and meal stains were still on Seunghyun’s clothing, while his were spotless---and he had uttered a sentence in his defense that sealed his demise.

“Father, Seunghyun was the one who ate the meal. Look at his clothes. They’re stained with food from his gluttony.” Seunghyun’s eyes had grown round with rage at his words, not expecting Jiyong to have betrayed him. But the fever that burnt his head clouded his judgement, and words spilled from his mouth at the injustice he had felt being served.

“Liar!” Seunghyun’s voice was loud and shrill. “Father! I would never have eaten---”

“Silence!” The king thundered, and his face grew red with unbidden anger as his eyes narrowed at the two princes, sharp eyes glazing over the stains on Seunghyun’s clothing and Jiyong’s whose head was on the floor, eyes glazed. A slow smile spread across his face then, and Jiyong felt his world crash and burn as his Father opened his mouth to speak.

“Whip the boy.” Seunghyun  had paled at his words. “Whip the Second Prince for telling malicious lies about the Crown Prince and attempting to deceive the crown.” Malicious eyes glinted at Jiyong. “Fifty lashes on his back for lying and another fifty lashes for stealing royal food and blaming it on the Crown Prince.” Strong arms grabbed him, and he gazed helplessly at the king and his advisors. “Come, Seunghyun.” His Father’s words echoed in his ears. “If you’d been hungry, you should have just ordered the servants to feed you. They can make a new set of meals. A Prince like you should never have needed to stoop to the level of taking the blame of a younger sibling not well fed and brought up.” They had stripped his top half in front of all the advisors and tied him to a plank, whipping and lashing his back till it turned bloody. And Jiyong stayed silent throughout the torture, refusing to give them the pleasure of hearing his cries of pain.

This act of defiance had riled up the king’s anger.

“Scream you goddamn bastard! Scream!” He flung his gold cup at Jiyong’s head, the metal smashing into the side of his head and scarring the top of his forehead, causing blood to pour from the open cut. Jiyong lifted his eyes to glare at the king and his son on the throne, baring his teeth in a clenched smile as the whip descended again and again on his back. He saw Seunghyun shiver as his eyes bore into him with hate, and the king had screamed for another fifty lashes to be placed upon his back for insubordination.

Needless to say, this act of craziness to his own son by the king had successfully broke the alliance between the other country’s advisor, who witnessed his torture. Within months, the kingdom was fraught with wars at the border, and the king was angered at the broken alliance, demanding to know the reason why it backfired.

I have seen how you treat your own flesh and blood, You Majesty. The other country’s advisor had mocked openly, eyes full of disdain. With such ruthlessness with your own child, how can you be a just ruler in your country? The king’s face had reddened with splotches of anger, but the advisor continued with his words. And should the Second Prince be willing to come over as a ward of our country, we would gladly accept him with open arms, and place him on the rightful throne when we conquer your land.

He had knelt in his place, back bloodied from being whipped a third time---his father had taken out his rage on his body the moment news that the alliance had failed and there was an attack on their borders, seeing him as the reason why the alliance between their kingdom and the other failed. He kept his head barely raised, but his eyes were burning with untold promise as he looked at the advisor. He had wanted to laugh at the looks of the king and Seunghyun’s face. The destroyed feast months ago was originally a feast established to obtain the promise of support for the future king--Seunghyun, but the boy’s folly in gluttoning himself and blaming the blame on Jiyong had backfired, instead obtaining a promise of support and power for Jiyong himself. Jiyong caught the eyes of the right hand advisor of the king, Kim Soo Man, who pursed his lips and gave him a silent nod, eyes roving over his torn back.

“T-thank you, for your support, Lord Advisor.” At Kim Soo Man’s nod of assurance, Jiyong had struggled to his feet, knocking his forehead on the floor in a show to ultimate respect. The other country’s advisor’s face changed, hands reaching to pull him up.

Nonsense. Your forbearance has told me of your rightful place in this kingdom. Come.

It was the first time Jiyong had been led out of the king’s presence without any permission. He passed by tables of advisors, all eyes on his bloodied back, filled with piteous gazes---save for one, that burned furiously with the injustice he had just suffered. He lifted his eyes to meet dark long lashed eyes, starry with hot tears and anger in her pale angelic face. Her fists were clenched, and she was held back by another girl, brown haired and frowning, her displeasure clear on her face as she looked at the king and Seunghyun.

That was their first meeting, but her gaze shook him to his core, his eyes wide and never leaving her flushed face, full of righteous anger. Her eyes follow